[badbread]

I'm hoping to get up to Sonoma this year to do some official 1/4 runs. Wondering if anyone has ever been to their Wednesday night drags and what the experience is like. Is it super crowded, how many runs could I get in, is there a crazy wait time, etc...

Just looking for some info on what to expect. I'd most likely have to take a day off from work and the wife and kids and would just like to have some expectations.

Thanks!

[FriedPiston]

I've been to several Sonoma Wednesday Night drag events going back to 2004. I would recommend avoiding the first three events if you're looking to get more than 3-4 runs. Of course, you'll get more runs as you advance in the elimination rounds, but most people usually bail after 6-7 PM, especially those that don't care for the trophy awards.

The place can get crowded, but nothing like a weekend or major event like NASCAR or INDYCAR. In recent years, they added Sonoma Drift to run in parallel with Wednesday Night Drags, but I've yet to see any details of that for 2018.

Sonoma's track prep is much better than Sacramento Raceway, but people usually won't net their best ET at Sonoma due to the slight elevation of the raceway, and occasional head wind. The track does have the tendency of getting moisture (fog) as the night progresses.

With that being said, if you want the most runs for your money, go to a Test and Tune over at Sacramento Raceway, which will run you about $40-$50 for unlimited runs. But like I said, Sac Raceway's track prep is non-existent, and you'd only be able to get a good launch if you're running DRs, or if several cars ahead of you left enough sticky compound for you to enjoy.

What I do like about Sonoma, despite it being only 25 minutes away from where I live, is that they have race fuel (up to 110+ octane) available on site, which makes it very convenient for those with a custom high octane tune.

Best of luck this year. Feel free to PM me if you'd like another M3 to tag along.

[badbread]

Great info, thanks very much! I will definitely PM you when I find the time to get up there, that is assuming you're ok rolling with a lowly 335i

[FriedPiston]

Originally Posted by badbread

Great info, thanks very much! I will definitely PM you when I find the time to get up there, that is assuming you're ok rolling with a lowly 335i

Don't mind at all. My last BMW was an FBO 2011 335i (N55). Had traction issues for days with the open diff at Sonoma, but the Active M differential isn't that much better with launching on the F8x

[badbread]

Originally Posted by nars3000

Don't mind at all. My last BMW was an FBO 2011 335i (N55). Had traction issues for days with the open diff at Sonoma, but the Active M differential isn't that much better with launching on the F8x

That's something I'm really looking forward to. I've never had a car where traction was a such major factor like it is with this car. My previous "fast" car was a G35 which really didn't struggle with traction like this car does.

I've been "practicing" a lot (brake boosting to different RPM's, 2nd gear start, etc...) on my buddies private farm road (not the greatest surface by any means) and with these run flats I've been able to consistently get a 2.1-2.2s 60' time. I'm really curious to see how different a prepared track surface is vs this crap road I play on. That also ties into my asking how busy it is etc, as I'm sure I'm not going to nail the launch my first time on a proper surface.

[FriedPiston]

Originally Posted by badbread

That's something I'm really looking forward to. I've never had a car where traction was a such major factor like it is with this car. My previous "fast" car was a G35 which really didn't struggle with traction like this car does.

I've been "practicing" a lot (brake boosting to different RPM's, 2nd gear start, etc...) on my buddies private farm road (not the greatest surface by any means) and with these run flats I've been able to consistently get a 2.1-2.2s 60' time. I'm really curious to see how different a prepared track surface is vs this crap road I play on. That also ties into my asking how busy it is etc, as I'm sure I'm not going to nail the launch my first time on a proper surface.

LOL, I also had a G35 that I took to Sonoma. I'll PM you video links, so you'll know what to expect with 60' times in your 335i.